NPR

I detest this ref. Whistle, whistle, whistle.

Match shows Italys problems again.
2 English attacks, 2 tries.
2 Italian attacks. One fails after a miracle pass attempt. One fails after forwards try to over rumble.

Hal Jordan wrote: Sun Feb 13, 2022 3:22 pm I'm not sure Malins is the , man for the crash there, but the forwards did well to get on the front foot.

It baffles me that teams do this with more slender wings. The number of times they actually blast past an slightly out of position prop pales into insignificance when set against how frequently they just get mashed by the defence.

If there's a particularly quick or big winger giving it a go then it makes more sense, though I'd still question how often it actually produces a result other than the wing being stopped dead.

That's a penalty no?

Gaining 20+m in your own half with a great wide run isn't "advantage over"?

Sadly, this is already little more than a practise run. Those U20’s can’t come soon enough

Slick wrote: Sun Feb 13, 2022 3:27 pm Sadly, this is already little more than a practise run. Those U20’s can’t come soon enough

For England

at least 3 eng players tracking back never onside there

Nowell is cursed.

Fuck autocorrect

Slick wrote: Sun Feb 13, 2022 3:27 pm Sadly, this is already little more than a practise run. Those U20’s can’t come soon enough

I know what you're getting at, but conversion rate of U20s to full internationals isn't great. Still a lot of development to go for kids like that and a lot of them won't even make it to be pros, let alone internationals.

Ref rushing the HIA decision looks particularly bad now that Nowell's failed it.

Hal Jordan wrote: Sun Feb 13, 2022 3:31 pm Nowell is cursed.

Fuck autocorrect

If there were any accountability the ref would get some sort of reprimand for making a player stay on when he's failed the HIA.

sockwithaticket wrote: Sun Feb 13, 2022 3:32 pm Ref rushing the HIA decision looks particularly bad now that Nowell's failed it.

I like to do things fast. His whistle usage is rapid.

Not sure why Italy make a point of only ever turning up against France.

sockwithaticket wrote: Sun Feb 13, 2022 3:31 pm

Slick wrote: Sun Feb 13, 2022 3:27 pm Sadly, this is already little more than a practise run. Those U20’s can’t come soon enough

I know what you're getting at, but conversion rate of U20s to full internationals isn't great. Still a lot of development to go for kids like that and a lot of them won't even make it to be pros, let alone internationals.

Just 2 or 3 who are used to winning will make a difference. But, yeah.

Torquemada 1420 wrote: Sun Feb 13, 2022 3:33 pm Not sure why Italy make a point of only ever turning up against France.

Same as the Welsh against England - for the lols.

Crash669 wrote: Sun Feb 13, 2022 3:36 pm

Torquemada 1420 wrote: Sun Feb 13, 2022 3:33 pm Not sure why Italy make a point of only ever turning up against France.

Same as the Welsh against England - for the lols.

TBF, Wales have won a few 6N in recent times so they've tried more than just the once a year!

Italy look appallingly coached. Very poor team.

What on earth was Isiekwe doing at the end of that try? Dived in with the shoulder.

And that was silly, but holy fuck, happens in most mauls...

good call, clear block ahead of the catcher in the setup.

C69 wrote: Sun Feb 13, 2022 3:38 pm Italy look appallingly coached. Very poor team.

They were very organised in defence against France and extremely physical with it too. Seem content to go out with a whimper here.

Italy going to be yellowed soon and then it will be a rout.

Obstruction by attacking players in the maul happens fairly often and they've only picked up on it because of doubts about something else?

They're meant to police this very specific thing regularly, but seem overly focused on what the defence is doing most of the time.

Torquemada 1420 wrote: Sun Feb 13, 2022 3:39 pm

C69 wrote: Sun Feb 13, 2022 3:38 pm Italy look appallingly coached. Very poor team.

They were very organised in defence against France and extremely physical with it too. Seem content to go out with a whimper here.

Rubbish they were terrible apart from the first half.
France were just going through the motions and never gotoutof second gear.
Italy are a poor poor side.

Forwards got white line fever there.

What was Genge thinking with that pick right into traffic? Randall needs to boss that better and get runners into the spaces.

I know it's about getting the penalty, but looks like Italian forwards were celebrating getting destroyed in the scrum?

WTF was that from Garbisi?

{EDIT} And the stupidity costs a try.

That's a try the front row union will be proud of

Ohh Italy.

Could have hoped for a half decent 2nd half before that

Slade is just shipping it on.

Hehe. Jamie George sucking in some air out wide, suddenly has to Run, Forrest!

Fat lad rumble!

Always feel that it is unfortunate for Italy that the conditions in Rome are pretty much always good. This means they never get the advantage of shit conditions at home which can be a great leveller between teams.

EDIT: also unlucky that Eddie has a tendency to try players out who are usually on form and have something to prove against Italy.

petej wrote: Sun Feb 13, 2022 3:49 pm Always feel that it is unfortunate for Italy that the conditions in Rome are pretty much always good. This means they never get the advantage of shit conditions at home which can be a great leveller between teams.

The pitch is always sh*t though. And anyway, if Ita really are to improve, they need to do more than cling to the meteorological gods.

What a bunch of power puffs the Italians are. No structure no agression no shape.
Worse than ever

Italy should put the u21s out

C69 wrote: Sun Feb 13, 2022 3:52 pm What a bunch of power puffs the Italians are. No structure no agression no shape.
Worse than ever

C69 enjoying the rugby

There must be better tightheads around than Will Stuart

Niegs wrote: Sun Feb 13, 2022 3:41 pm Obstruction by attacking players in the maul happens fairly often and they've only picked up on it because of doubts about something else?

They're meant to police this very specific thing regularly, but seem overly focused on what the defence is doing most of the time.

We always trained to set up mauls with a player obstructing

Love the pace Randall is putting on this game, Eddie please do not sub him too early, i want to see him agsinst a tiring defence

ASMO wrote: Sun Feb 13, 2022 4:01 pm There must be better tightheads around than Will Stuart

EQP tightheads in the Prem are rare and most of the few there are simply aren't good enough to step up beyond Prem level.